FIG. 1A depicts a schematic diagram of a portion of telecommunications system 100 that is typical in the prior art. Telecommunications system 100 comprises: a source of traffic predictions 105, a source of route characteristics (or corresponding supplier facility characteristics) 106, route table generator 107, and route server 109. FIG. 1A additionally depicts: call origin 101, incoming route 103, outgoing routes 121, 122, and 123, and call destination 113, which are connected to telecommunications system 100 as shown, but which are not components of telecommunications system 100.
Call origin 101, which well known in the art, represents a point where a call is initiated such as a telephone, a mobile station, a computer, etc., without limitation.
Incoming route 103, which is well known in the art, comprises one or more telecommunications facilities that collectively are capable of carrying a call (whether a voice call, a text message, or a data session) from call origin 101 to route server 109, e.g., trunks, switches, networks, sub-networks, the U.S. public switched telephone network, a national telecommunications network, the Internet, etc. Incoming route 103 can be circuit-switched, packet-switched, or a combination thereof, without limitation.
Traffic predictions 105, which are well known in the art, are stored in one or more data structures, and comprise predicted telecommunications traffic data for one or more periods of time, for one or more destinations. For example and without limitation, traffic predictions 105 comprise, per destination in a given period of time, the number of predicted calls. Traffic predictions 105 may be stored in a component of route table generator 107 or in a stand-alone component, or may be supplied by an outside system, or a combination thereof, etc., without limitation.
Route characteristics 106, which are well known in the art, are stored in one or more data structures, and comprise information about any facilities and outgoing routes emanating from route server 109. For example and without limitation, route characteristics 106 comprise the capacity of each available outgoing route and/or outgoing facility emanating from route server 109 typically measured in calling minutes available per hour; historical information about the routes/facilities, such as maintenance periods when a facility or route might be completely unavailable; and other historical performance data such as failure rates that measure the reliability of the route/facility. Route characteristics 106 may be stored in a component of route table generator 107 or in a stand-alone component, or may be supplied by an outside system, or a combination thereof, etc., without limitation.
Route table generator 107, which is well known in the art, is based on a processor or data-processing system or other computing platform. Route table generator 107 receives route characteristics 106 and traffic predictions 105 and, based on these and other data, generates one or more route tables for the use of route server 109. Route table generator 107 is discussed in further detail in subsequent figures.
Route server 109, which is well known in the art, is based on a processor, data-processing system, computing platform, call-processing system, or call-switching platform. Route server 109 may be co-resident with route table generator 107 or may be a separate component from route table generator 107. Route server 109 receives calls via one or more incoming routes such as incoming route 103 and, based on the contents of the route table generated by route-table generator 107, selects a proper outgoing facility and/or outgoing route for each call. Route server 109 is discussed in further detail in subsequent figures. According to the present figure, route server 109 is connected to three possible outgoing routes—routes 121, 122, and 123—all of which lead to the same destination 113.
Routes 121, 122, and 123, which are well known in the art, each comprises one or more telecommunications facilities capable of carrying a call (whether a voice call, a text message, or a data session) from route server 109 to call destination 113 or to an intermediate destination, e.g., trunks, switches, networks, sub-networks, the U.S. public switched telephone network, a national telecommunications network, the Internet, etc. Outgoing routes 121, 122, and 123 each can be circuit-switched, packet-switched, or a combination thereof, without limitation.
Call destination 113, which is well known in the art, represents a termination point where a call can be answered, such as a telephone, a mobile station, a computer, a switch, an answering machine, an incoming voice-response system, etc., without limitation. A destination 113 can be represented by any suitable addressing scheme such as a dialed number, a “Dialed Number Identification Service” (“DNIS”), a “Uniform Resource Locator” (“URL”), or a data endpoint address, a country code, or a city code, or an area code, or a combination thereof, etc., without limitation. Destination identification is well known in the art.
FIG. 1B depicts a more detailed schematic diagram of a portion of prior-art telecommunications system 100 depicted in FIG. 1A, including call 1B being routed to and answered at destination 113. In addition to the components and elements described in FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B additionally depicts: route table 115 in route table generator 107, route table 117 in route server 109, call 1B originating at call origin 101, a call attempt at the ingress to route server 109, a call seizure at the egress from route server 109 via outgoing route 123, and an answered call at destination 113.
As shown here, route table generator 107 generates table 115, which comprises only route 123 for destination 113 for the applicable time period. Route table generator 107 transmits route table 115 to route server 109. Route server 109 receives route table 115 and establishes it as the operative route table 117 to be used during the applicable time period.
As shown here, call 1B comes into route server 109 as a call attempt. Route server 109 receives call 1B and applies route table 117, which is the operative route table to be used during the present time period. According to route table 117, route 123 is the only allowed route to be used during the present time period. Accordingly, route server 109 places call 1B onto the telecommunications facilities corresponding to route 123, sending call 1B onwards towards destination 113—this operation represents a call seizure.
As shown here, call 1B successfully reaches destination 113, where the call is answered. Accordingly, call 1B is an answered call.
As shown here, outgoing route 123 is, among routes 121, 122, and 123, the one with the maximum profitability margin, and hence the reason it is the sole route in route table 115/117. This is because, according to the prior art, route table generator 107 generates route tables based on using maximum-margin routes; lower margin routes, which are less profitable, are not chosen for route table 115. This scheme is advantageous to the operator of route server 109, because it favors only the most profitable routes. However, as will become clear in FIG. 1C below, this scheme also presents several disadvantages, because it can cause substantial call blocking when the maximum-margin route lacks sufficient capacity to carry all incoming call attempts.
FIG. 1C depicts a more detailed schematic diagram of a portion of telecommunications system 100 depicted in FIG. 1A, including call 1C being blocked and not reaching destination 113. In addition to the components and elements described in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C additionally depicts: call 1C originating at call origin 101, a call attempt at the ingress to route server 109, route 123 lacking capacity to carry call 1C, and consequently, call 1C being blocked at the egress from route server 109.
As shown earlier, table 115/117 comprises only route 123 for destination 113.
As shown here, call 1C comes into route server 109 as a call attempt. Route server 109 receives call 1C and applies operative route table 117; route 123 is the only allowed route to be used during the present time period according to route table 117. However, the facilities of route 123 are not available to carry call 1C (e.g., because the facilities are all busy with other calls or are down for maintenance, etc.). Route server 109 is constrained in only having route 123 populated in route table 117, and when route 123 is not available, route server 109 blocks outgoing call 1C. No call seizure occurs. The caller who originated call 1C must try again.
As explained, blocked calls are a substantial disadvantage in this scheme. First, they result in caller dissatisfaction. Second, they cost the route server operator profits when calls go uncompleted or unexpectedly drop. Moreover, margin-maximizing schemes like the one described above fail to consider other routes that have lower profit margins but are still cost-competitive.